Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue marks 50th anniversary

(Vatican Radio) The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue marks the 50th anniversary of its foundation on Monday with a Mass in St Peter’s Basilica and a conference looking back at the achievements of the past half century of interfaith relations. The Council, originally called the Secretariat for Non-Christians, was set up by Pope Paul VI on Pentecost Sunday, May 19th, 1964 to further the Church’s relations with people of other faiths.

The current president of the Council, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran and its secretary, Father Miguel Ayuso are speaking at the conference on ‘50 years of service in interreligious dialogue.’ They’ll also be presenting a document entitled ‘Dialogue in Truth and Charity: pastoral orientations for interreligious dialogue’ offering practical guidelines to pastors and lay people working in interfaith relations at the local level.

Also addressing the conference is Jesuit Father Damian Howard, a professor in Muslim-Christian relations from Heythrop College in London. He spoke with Fr Bernd Hagenkord, head of Vatican Radio’s German section about the past half century of interreligious dialogue

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